Understanding the Net Lingo and Employing (e)Netiquettes

Understanding the Net Lingo and Employing (e)Netiquettes: Tejesh Beldar 

We have experienced that Net Lingo is influencing the online positively and otherwise. "Net lingo" is the "talk of the Internet", the "cyber speak," the new terms / concepts/ words/ abbreviations that have sprung out of the creation and community of the Internet. Most Net Lingo terms are words/acronyms that were developed by people who use the Internet to communicate.  The examples are:

r = are
u = you

ama = Ask Me Anything

paw =Parents Are Watching

omg = oh my god
wth = what the hell
ttyl = talk to you later
idk = i don't know
idc = i don't care 

Thus, for instant messaging/texting such words are used. But let’s ask a question_”Is this okay in a business setting/formal communication?” Well, the answer is - it depends on the factors such as, Age, Person (Role, Status), Relation, Place, Time, Topic/Subject, i.e. CONTEXT/SITUATION. Who the specific type of communication is written for? etc must be consider. In short, the use of slang may be okay depending on the type of communication and how it is delivered.

This also refers to Netiquettes. Netiquette, simply stated is “network etiquette” i.e. the etiquette of cyberspace. In general, "etiquette" means "the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life." In short, Netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online. Netiquettes should be followed while writing an email, a formal letter, chatting with close friends, communicating with a professional group/network, or having a formal conversation on the social networks.

The following Core Rules of Netiquette are excerpted from the book Netiquette by Virginia Shea and are available on http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

• Rule 1: Remember the Human

• Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life

• Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace

• Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth

• Rule 5: Make yourself look good online

• Rule 6: Share expert knowledge

• Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control

• Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy

• Rule 9: Don't abuse your power

• Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes

Net Etiquettes are the rules that have developed as people have begun to communicate and interact on the Internet. The following are some good net etiquette/rules to follow taken from http://www.wisekids.org.uk/netetiquette.htm:

“Before you join in a newsgroup or discussion board, always check that your questions are relevant to the group. See FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions list.

·         Never respond to rude or threatening messages whether in chat, newsgroups or message boards.

·         Always leave if the conversation makes you uncomfortable.

·         Never engage in a flame war. That is a shouting match (through text) conducted between 2 or more people.

·         Never send an email in capital letters. That is considered to be shouting on the Internet.

·         Never say nasty or untrue things about others especially in public forums, newsgroups, or chat. These remain in many archives and you could be charged with libel.

·         Never forward personal emails sent to you to others without checking with the original sender first.

·         Similarly, when forwarding an email to others, respect the privacy of your group of friends or family. Do not publicly broadcast all their email addresses. Learn to use the BCC command which keeps email addresses private.

·         When composing emails, use the subject field, as it helps the recipient to identify the email quicker.

·         Remember that the Internet is 'a real space', and email gives you quick and direct access to many people that you would not have similar access to before. People respond to using this space in different ways. It is always courteous and considerate to reply to emails, even if it is only to say that you will give a fuller response when you have more time.”

Further, the language can negatively affect the communication skills and make it difficult to communicate.  

And the negative communication can lead to issues including inefficiency, conflict and legal complaints.

Thus, the care has to be taken while sharing personal details, forwarding emails, texting messages or posting comments online. Also visit http://eetiquette.com/ for more details.

References:

1.      https://www.netlingo.com/press/about-netlingo.php

2.      http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

3.      http://eetiquette.com/

4.      http://www.wisekids.org.uk/netetiquette.htm